Meghan Markle’s close friend Kelly Zajfen spills on their friendship

One of Meghan’s closest friends has shared details of their relationship amid a challenging few weeks for the duchess.

IN LONDON

One of Meghan Markle’s “closest friends”, Kelly McKee Zajfen, has shared rare insight into their relationship in a gushing social media post.

The pair were spotted attending the Children’s Hospital LA Gala together over the weekend, and the Alliance of Mums co-founder later posted pictures of the event, describing the Duchess of Sussex as “truly inspiring”.

“I was … beyond grateful to share in this beautiful evening with one of my closest friends. Meg, your commitment to supporting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and community is truly inspiring,” Zajfen wrote on Instagram.

“I’m so grateful to have you by my side.”

Kelly McKee Zajfen and Meghan at the Gala. Picture: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

Zajfen, whose organisation is comprised of philanthropists who support pregnant and parenting youth in LA’s foster care system, tragically lost her nine-year-old son, George, due to Covid-19 and viral meningitis in 2022, and his twin sister, Lily, suffers with heart issues.

She has been close with Meghan for the past decade, and the former working royal has previously popped up in social media posts for her Alliance charity.

“When we speak about the people in our lives who lift us up when you need it with undeniable force of pure love I think of these two,” Zajfen wrote of Meghan and their other friend, actress Abigail Spencer, in an Instagram post afterwards.

“You inspire me. You pick me up when I need it and you Love Like A Mother!”

Zajfen and the duchess, along with their friend Heather Dorak, also took a ritzy Utah skip trip together in March this year.

Zajfen’s public praise follows undoubtedly challenging weeks for Meghan, who was reportedly left “reeling” in the wake of a Hollywood Reporter expose which described her as “difficult” and a “dictator” by anonymous current and former staffers.

The explosive original article generated buzz all over last month, with allegations within it painting a picture of the duchess as a “terrible” employer who had “reduced grown men to tears”.

The duchess and Zajfen have supported each other for years. Picture: Instagram

Just days later, another piece emerged to contradict the claims, with US Weekly speaking to current and former staff on the record, who gushed over her being the “best boss ever”.

The Sussexes’ global head of communications, Ashley Hansen, was even quoted by name, describing the support she received when she’d had to undergo surgery.

“Meghan would personally reach out to my husband daily to make sure that we both were OK and had support,” she told the publication.

However, just hours later, the Daily Beast published yet more unflattering allegations.

In the article, a former courtier who worked for Meghan and Harry claimed that she could be a “demon” boss who had “psycho” and “very bad” moments.

“I witnessed people being chewed up in person and over the phone and made to feel like s**t,” the unnamed source said, but added that “it was an incredibly fraught time and I’m inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt.”

The tide of negative publicity flowing from their new home in America reportedly rocked Harry and Meghan.

“The Sussexes were left reeling by The Hollywood Reporter’s story,” an insider told The Sun, adding: “It appears that the US Weekly story was sanctioned by the ­couple as even Archewell’s ­current global head of communications, Ashley Hansen, was quoted by name.”

Originally published as Meghan Markle’s close friend Kelly Zajfen spills on their friendship